Buxton Hill Walks
Looking for some low impact exercise? Do you struggle with how you're feeling? Need someone to just listen and not try to 'fix' things? Come to Buxton Hill Walks our Friendly, supportive walks in the Peak District and walk and talk with us.
Buxton Hill Walks are our Themed, guided, Friendly and Supportive Walks in and around the Peak District. These walks are led by Gez a fully trained walk leader and run in partnership with Zink in Buxton.
Sometimes we all need someone to talk to – someone that’s not our therapist or our doctor or our family member – but someone who is impartial and isn’t going to try and give advice. We are here for you.
Derbyshire Mind’s Walk-and-Talk groups are supportive community groups that create space for us to get together, get some fresh air, meet some new people, in a friendly and inclusive group. But, most importantly, they provide a valuable space to talk and be listened to by our compassionate Peer Support Volunteers who are trained to listen and empathise with your situation, but not try to ‘fix’.
Come join us for a gentle walk and, if you want a chat around the hills of the Peak District. The walk might help you think things through, and we are really good at listening.
When and Where?
The group will meet twice a month on a Friday and Saturday each month. The Friday walks will end at Zink in Buxton and the walk includes a free lunch for participants. Walks will start from different locations dependent on the route, so please ensure you know where we are starting for each walk. Dates and locations for the next few walks are listed below:
Friday 27 March
Burbage Edge Loop – 5.5 miles
Theme: Welcome to Buxton Hill Walks
An introductory walk and local loop! A chance to meet Gez, learn more about hillwalking and bag our first trig point of the season.
Friday 17 and Saturday 25 April
Grin Low Woods and Solomon’s Temple – 5 miles
Theme: Spring flora – a wander through the woods taking time to explore the flowers, fungi and trees at Grin Low.
Friday 15 and Saturday 23 May
High Edge – 7 miles
Starts at Grin Low car park
Theme: History – WW2 at High Edge
A walk from Grin Low to High Edge, a limestone outcrop featuring two WW2 bunkers, used to guard RAF Harpur Hill.
Friday 5 and Saturday 13 June
Corbar Wood, Lightwood and Combs Moss – 6 miles
Starting in central Buxton
Theme: Conservation – peatland restoration works on Combs Moss.
Friday 3 and Saturday 18 July
Woo Dale and Cowdale – 6 miles
Starting from Fairfield
Theme: Geology – the formation of limestone dales and the dolomite of Woo Dale.
We meet whatever the weather, you can rely on us to be there for you. If it is raining, we just pop on a rain coat. If it is sunny, we just pop on some sun cream!
If the weather is extreme however, such as thick ice or snow for instance, then we will try to move the group to our ‘Plan B café’ location for safety reasons. We will inform you by posting this on our social media pages and by contacting everyone that is registered to that walk location.
How to Book a Place on an Upcoming Buxton Hill Walks:
If you are thinking of joining us on a Buxton Hill Walk you will need to register for a place and complete the Emergency Contact Details Form. You must complete this form in order to be able to attend the walk. This is so that we have your contact details and those of a person we can contact in the event there is an issue while on the walk.
These walks are slightly different to our MindSpace Walks in that we need people to register for safety reasons. We also have a maximum number of walkers we can take on these walks as they are for people who have a reasonable level of fitness and must have decent footwear and suitable clothing such as waterproof coat, etc.
If you turn up on the day without having first registered you may not be able to go on the walk.
You can find all of our upcoming walks and groups, including MindSpace as well as these Buxton Hill Walks on our Activities Calendar page.
What is MindSpace? and how does this work with the Buxton Hill Walks?
MindSpace community walk-and-talk groups are informal community groups that take place in local parks. They are perfectly unstructured so that they can flex to suit whatever the group needs or wants on the walk that week. Sometimes we will just walk and talk, sometimes we might stop for a coffee in the local café, sometimes the conversation will be centred around a particular topic that someone has raised.
We now have this our Buxton Hill Walks in partnership with Zink in Buxton. The Buxton Hill Walks are led by Gez and are supported by our fantastic Derbyshire Mind volunteers who are friendly, inclusive, welcoming and really great listeners. We listen without judgement and without trying to ‘fix’ or give advice. You can rely on us to be here every other Friday, same time same place, no matter the weather, and ready to listen to whatever you are feeling or having trouble with.
Could you be a Volunteer MindSpace group leader?
Do you have a local park near you that would be fab as a MindSpace meet up location? Could you lead one of our friendly and informal MindSpace groups? Would you love to be part of our Derbyshire Mind Volunteers Network?
We are always looking to expand our MindSpace community network and we are always looking out for reliable and friendly local people who are passionate about supporting their community.
As a valued Derbyshire Mind volunteer, we would provide you with all the necessary training and support to help make a real difference to people in your local community experiencing mental health challenges.
Volunteer MindSpace Expressions of Interest:
If this sounds like something you are interested in please contact us at community@derbyshiremind.org.uk detailing what park you would be interested in supporting a group at, and what days and times you could do. We will then hold your details on file and be in touch in due course to discuss your kind offer!
From time to time we also advertise for volunteer walk leaders as we are setting up a new walk. If we have any roles currently available they will be advertised here:
Paid and Volunteering Opportunities Page